SC 540 Build Photos

[WKB]

Hi Tatsushige,
The kit uses most of the required the parts from a BA/BF Falcon. All the mounting points are in the chassis to accept the Falcon parts which includes suspension, complete drive train, dash, wiring harness.
Anything is possible with kitcars so modifing the chassis to accept local parts would be a challenge. The 5 ltr V8 toyota motor would be a nice engine to use.
DRB Sportcars builds these kits( www.drbsportscars.com ). Send them a email and tell them what you would like do to. There is a guy on the Gold Coast that gets wrecked falcons and sells them even in a stripped down version for the 540 ( http://clubcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94669 ).

What are the rules for kitcars in Japan like(emissions, design rules etc)

Warren

[Tatsushige]

G'day Warren,

Thanks for the information. Sent an Email off to DRBsportcars about the kit, no reply back yet.

I like the XR8 Dash so will try and see if I can find one on eBay, but the Sat Nav, Instrument Cluster, Climate Control etc would be from Toyota or Custom built.

Ordering in a Lamborghini Miura replica from the UK at the moment that will run a 3.5l VVT-i V6 through a 6 Speed Getrag transaxle, sorting out Toyota parts for that.

The 540 will be the next project so it gives me time to sort out customizing the chassis, if I can get one and have it shipped to Japan.



Kit cars in Japan are a pain, You can order built cars in from overseas as long as they are licensed in the country they came from and then there is no problems about emission or anything.

BUT if you build yourself you need to get a Manufactures license like what Toyota, Mitsuoka, Honda all hold, you have to have the chassis and body approved, it must meet Japan’s STRICT emission laws, You really need to jump through hoops here.

Back in 1996 when I was here, there were 3 USA Lamborghini Replica Companies who opened up their doors in Tokyo and within 18 months they all closed up shop. The cost of their Lamborghini Replicas were about $80,000 fully built; you could have brought a new Lexus LS400 for $60,000. So no one wanted to buy a replica with second hand parts when they can buy a new Lexus.




There are a lot of Cobras here in Japan all imported from the USA, and so many people believe they own a GENIUNE Shelby Cobra. Because the person that sold them it said it was. I have told 2 people they have REPLICAS only but they do not believe me…

[SoTxButler]

Great looking car...keep the pictures coming.

[Mrs flatchat]

ABS, track control, fly by wire, climate control, electric windows............

[mike546]

This looks like a great build. I am also thinking of undertaking this kit as it looks a lot easier since all the parts are off the one car. Is there much fabrication needed to get this completed? Also if you dont mind me asking, how much will this build cost to get it finished?

I have noticed theres a semi-completed sc540 for sale on the internet for $70,000. http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-car/...sn6373294.aspx

[mike546]

Sorry newbie question. Does anyone know how this car would handle compared to the origional cobra? The weight should be pretty similar, but the dimensions are totally different arent they? Its a pretty wide car. Wonder how that would affect the handling?

[ROSS WEAVER]

Warren,

Thanks for sharing your photos. Can't wait to see more.

[gpbonner]

Mike,

Regarding cost. I'm sure Warren can provide more detail but I have been looking into this as a project and the basic costs I have come up with so far is the chassis for $22,000, a donor car for around $12,000 (I'm told you can pick up a written off XR8 for around $12,000. I'm trying to get to an auction later next week which has an XR8 6 speed auto up for sale. If I get there I will let you know what it goes for). I don't believe the standard seats and fuel tank fits the Cobra chassis so that is an additional charge, and I guess things like carpets and door trims would be also be additional. I would have thought you could do this for around the $40-$50k mark.

[WKB]

gpbonner,
$12-$14K should be the price for a BF XR8 depending kilometres and damage. $50- $60K probably closer the price range and this also depends on the amount of work (upholstery/paint) you can do your self and the price of the wreck( I know a person who bought a BA wreck for $8000).If you want the replica mags that will add a fair bit onto the price as well.
Apart from the doner car you will need seats, fuel tank wiper mechanism, gas struts for the bonnet, bonnet latchs, insulation, front shocks and coil overs, rear springs, lights, exhaust, interior trim and some other sundry items.

Mike,
This car is heavier than an AC Cobra. Dimension wise it has a 100inch wheelbase, marginally longer than my AC Cobra and wider than a Falcon. Just fits on my car trailer width wise(tyres miss the the mudgaurd by only mm's.

Warren

[wodahs]

wbk

can i ask with motor in and bonnet on how much clearance do you have between the both ?

i have about 85% of everything from a wrecked ba fairlane which i got from auction that had an engine bay fire , wrecked the body after gutting it , the motors wiring fuel lines and anything plastic in the engine bay coped the fire and have replaced most of this , had the heads rebuilt and worked (only 3valve heads) , almost finished rebuilding the engine with a whipple supercharger from a f series (hence the clearance question) and was going to drop this in to a 77 zh fairlane

but this may be more fun

[Fordzilla]

Looks Nice!

[WKB]

wodahs,
In the picture the red through the scoop is the top of the plenum on the motor. If the supercharger is any higher than a XR8 motor it probably will be to high. If you fitted a supercharged engine to the 540 it would make engineering and registration interesting.



Warren

[wodahs]

thanks for the reply
apart from higher horse power supercharged still comes in on emissions and adr rules
and now recon this body would be a good mach for the ba gear i have instead of putting it in to the zh fairlane
just alittle concerned about the motor height

[AC-460]

Tabbey25
Ive bought a 540 kit it should be ready mid march keep looking for a donor I bought this GT-P for my Donor Its a 6 speed and bought it for $11500 out of pickles auctions Adelaide Paid $550 to get it to Nsw I Sold the interior for $3000

[AC-460]

Wodahs
My plan down the track is to fit a Yella Terra setup in which runs under the plenum and doesn't increase any height

[wodahs]

thanks ac-460

had a talk to battens performance tuning and drp today

talked with battens about their inlet manifold which is similar design to mine but lower (a shame seeing mines already flowed and match ported to the heads)







and drp about their kit and the possibility to have them raise the scoop to accommodate the charger setup under and they will look at it for me , they have asked for pic of the motor and height dimension

so all the gear i have that was going to go in to the 77 fairlane may go into a drp-540



now to work out which path to go down

now heres another question are you guys running the air bag setup in the dash ??
i was told buy the licensing group over here in w.a. that i could do the fairlane but
a. had to run emissions
b. no moving parts of the charger out side the bonnet
and c. unless i could prove the proper/safe working of the air bags they had to be removed - ie crash a few with the evidence the airbag system worked correct in that vehical

[fox123]

I've ordered my DRB, got my donar car, built my dream shed and am trying to find out how to register to build and license the thing. Would you know anyone to talk to regarding getting the DRB540 registered in WA as know on seems to know. thanks.

[fox123]

Originally Posted by wodahs

thanks ac-460

had a talk to battens performance tuning and drp today

talked with battens about their inlet manifold which is similar design to mine but lower (a shame seeing mines already flowed and match ported to the heads)







and drp about their kit and the possibility to have them raise the scoop to accommodate the charger setup under and they will look at it for me , they have asked for pic of the motor and height dimension

so all the gear i have that was going to go in to the 77 fairlane may go into a drp-540



now to work out which path to go down

now heres another question are you guys running the air bag setup in the dash ??
i was told buy the licensing group over here in w.a. that i could do the fairlane but
a. had to run emissions
b. no moving parts of the charger out side the bonnet
and c. unless i could prove the proper/safe working of the air bags they had to be removed - ie crash a few with the evidence the airbag system worked correct in that vehical

Finally someone from WA. I've ordered my DRB, got my donar car, built my dream shed and am trying to find out how to register to build and license the thing. Would you know anyone to talk to regarding getting the DRB540 registered in WA as know one seems to know. thanks.

[albanycobra]

Pure propaganda. Why do they even bother. They are talking about an RCR-40 as we shared the track for lane change testing. I will quite happlily put an RCR-40 up against a DRB540 on the track with same HP, same tyres, same driver. But it's pretty obvious the vehicles are designed for different purposes. Actually I will put up any RCR against any DRB of the same spec. As manufacturers we have both taken different engineering approaches and as a result different performance outcomes and most likely appeal to different types of buyers.

We don't even support the Boss 540 engine in any RCR due to the weight, size and location penalty associated with it. But as stated above our vehicles are designed with different goals in mind.

But don't take this as a slur on the DRB 540, it's built for a specific purpose and specific market. One of the key designers & builders of the 540 kit now works for RCR, so we know more about the 540 than most.

And when you're finished with the RCR you can flatten it like an empty Coke can and put it in the recycle bin like a responsible person should.... Sorry just stirring....

[400TT]

Originally Posted by albanycobra

And when you're finished with the RCR you can flatten it like an empty Coke can and put it in the recycle bin like a responsible person should.... Sorry just stirring....

If it wasn't for everyone recycling those aluminium cans, there wouldn't be any RCR and DRB 540 chassis material.